Tile positioning machine



May 8, 1962 Filed Sept. 15, 1958 H. L. KLEIN TILE POSITIONING MACHINE 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Harold L. Klein INVENTOR.

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May 8, 1962 H. KLEIN TILE POSITIONING MACHINE 6 SheetsSheet 2 FiledSept. 15, 1958 s v9 w 0 N9 NQ m /11/||/|1|||u I V 9w 0 O 2 mm? mm mowmow E\ I 5 m5 Harold L. Klein INVENTOR.

0 BY um Wavy fiM May 8, 1962 H. KLEIN 3,033,739

TILE POSITIONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 EEEEEEJEEEIEIIEilfifiEEE Illlluf I Hm.

Harold L. Klein 1N VEN TOR.

May 8, 1962 H. L. KLEIN TILE POSITIONING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledSept. 15, 1958 Harold L. Klein 1N VEN TOR. BY QM 4013 WW 19m May 8, 1962H. L. KLEIN 3,033,739

TILE POSITIONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1958 e Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR.

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Harold L. Klein H. L. KLEIN TILE POSITIONING MACHINE May 8, 1962 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 15, 1958 IN VEN TOR. 4013;. W 8m old L KleinBig United States This invention generally relates to a tile positioningmachine for the purpose of forming or making a mat of various coloredtile to a definite color design or pattern which is normally used inceramic tile arrangement.

Ceramic tile mats, of course, are known and at present, there areseveral methods of forming these mats which include the hand placing oftile in pockets that are formed by placing sheet metal strips in a boardof the desired pattern as to the size of the tile pieces and thelocation thereof. The various colors that are used for the color designor pattern are hand placed in proper location. After the tiles are inposition, a piece of paper is pasted over the top face of the tile tohold the pieces in place when they are removed from the board. When thetiles are installed in the desired position, the sheets are installedwith the tiles and hold the tiles in this position and the tiles arecemented to the floor or the wall with the paper thereon. After this,the paper is then removed by wetting and scrubbing off of the paper.This conventional method is generally known as the wash off papermethod. Another method which is used and generally referred to as theSwift method includes a board onto which the tiles are placed after theyhave been sorted for color and chipped tile. Another board is placedover the top and the unit is turned over so that the bottom is actuallyfacing upwardly. A perforated paper is then glued onto the actual bottomsurfaces which are facing upwardly with waterproof glue and placed inpermanent position on the tiles. These mats including the perforatedpaper are then cemented to the floor or wall with the paper left inplace. In the present invention, it is the primary object to provide amethod and an apparatus for making a mat of various colored tile to adefinite color design which includes in its construction severalconveying channels and stacks each having a color assigned to itsmounted to allow the tiles to drop in position with a master boardhaving various height blocks thereon being employed to control operationof the tile positioning machine with the present invention incorporatingan arrangement resulting in a mat equivalent to that formed in the Swiftmethod.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tile positioningmachine for automatically forming mats of a particular color design thathave the perforated paper permanently secured to the bottom surfacesthereof whereby the paper and tiles may be installed in the desiredmanner with the tiles being retained in proper spaced relation by thebacking paper with the perforated backing paper also providing adhesionareas for securing the same to a wall or floor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tilepositioning machine including a control mechanism for controlling theoperation in accordance with a master board with the machine providingthe perforated paper with the permanent adhesive bonding the tilesthereto after which the adhesive is dried and then the perforated paperwith the tiles thereon is cut into the desired length.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a tilepositioning machine which will automatically provide a mat having tilethereon arranged in.

a predetermined color design and cut off at the desired length.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter atent "inc described and claimed,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts of the housingbroken away for illustrating the structure therein;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed side elevation of the tile feeding and ejectingmechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the construction of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, plan sectional view taken substantially upona plane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the notched bar for feeding the tileto the ejecting or placing mechanism;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the rack bar operated by the solenoidfor positioning the tile;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view illustrating the initial tile beingpositioned for ejection by the ejector;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic view illustrating the tile in position forengagement by the ejector;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 illustrating the ejectorcontacting the tile;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 illustrating the ejectorpositioning the tile onto the perforated paper;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10 illustrating the ejector inraised position with the feeding mechanism moving another tile into themachine for ejection by the ejecting mechanism;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passingalong section line 12-12 of FIG- URE 1 illustrating the details of thecutter mechanism;

FIGURE 13 is a schematic side elevational view illustrating a slightlymodified form of the invention;

FIGURE 14 is a corner perspective view of a completed mat; and

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic circuit employed in the present device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the tile positioning machine of the present invention whichincludes a supporting platform or base 12 with upstanding support framemembers 14- and an enclosing casing 16 as shown in FIGURE 1 which hasparts thereof broken away and shown in section for illustrating thestructure disposed-therein. One end of the casing 16 is provided with anopening 18 for receiving a tile conveyor 20 and the other end of thecasing 16 is provided with an opening 22 for discharge of the finishedproduct.

Mounted at one end of the support members 14 is a supply roll of paper24 which is of the disposable type and which is carried by suitablebearing supports for the shaft 26. Also carried by the support members14 is a supply roll of perforated paper 28 having a shaft 3% journaledin open ended sockets or bearings 32. An idler roller 34 supported asdesignated by the numeral 36 for rotation is mounted above the supplyrolls and in the direction of movement of the paper 24 and the paper 28with the paper 24 and paper 28 passing thereover so that the paper 24and 28 will be in contact with each other whereby the solid andcontinuous paper 24 will form a temporary backing for the perforatedpaper 28.

Mounted on a suitable bracket 38 is a feeler roller 40 having a switchcontact element 42 associated therewith for breaking a circuit in theevent the supply of paper 28 is exhausted. The same type of roller 44and switch 46 is provided for the paper 24 so that the machine will bepromptly stopped in the event either supply of paper becomes exhausted.

The perforated paper and the underlying solid or continuous paper entersthe casing 16 under the lower edge thereof and proceeds along the uppersurface of a suptwo strips of paper now entering the tile positioningand applying apparatus. After the two pieces of paper pass the tileapplying apparatus, the paper 24 extends downwardly as indicated by thenumeral 58 and is rolled into a roll'60 supported on supporting brackets62 whereby the roll of paper 60 having adhesive thereon may be disposedof. The roll 60 is driven by a drive roll 64 mounted on an upstandingswing jarm 66 supported pivotally by a lug 68 and provided with a drivesprocket 70 for engagement with a drive chain 72 for driving the rolleror roll of paper 60 in direct ratio to the remainder of the machineforretaining the underlying paper in taut condition. The chain 72 is drivenfrom a shaft 74 having the driven member 76 of a Geneva movementmechanism which also includes the member 78. A switch 88 is engaged bythemember 78 for controlling energization of a control device to be,described hereinafter. The shaft 74v also drives through a chain 81,chain 82 and idler sprockets-mounted on shaft 84 for rotating a shaft 86having a, drum 88 thereon which has a master board disposed (in theouter surface thereof and including a series of circumferentially.arranged blocks 90 which are of yar'yirig heights which will determinethe color tile blocks fdr ;assenibly,onto the mat. 7

The tile blocks to be positioned on the paper 28 are designatedby thenumeral 92 and drying lamps 94 are disposed above and below the path ofmovement of the just completed mat for drying the adhesive. Alsoprovided adjacent the end of the casing 16 is a cutter 96 in the form ofa blade having projecting ends 98 riding in aslotlOi) with the bladealso having an upstanding rod 102 passing through a solenoid 104. Therod 102 is provided with an abutment 106 on the upper end thereof andscoilsprin'g 108 disposed therebetween whereby the coil spring 108 wouldreturn the blade or cutter 96 to an elevated position. When the blade 96is depressed by the. solenoids 104, the perforated paper 28 will besevered. transversely so that the mat does not become extremely heavyand is cut at the desired length.

'Mounted above the. path of movement of the tiles 92 along withthe'paper 28 is a presser roller 110 mounted in a slot 112 whereby theroller 110 may move vertically and may be provided with a spring forholding the same resiliently in contact with the tiles 92 for securingthe tiles 92 securely on the perforated paper 28.

FIGURE 13 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which thebacking member is in the form of a reusable flexible strip 114 whichpasses over idler roller 116 having a pressure roller 118mounted'adjustably in brackets 129 above the idler roller 116. Atake-off roller 122 is provided in alignment with the idler roller 116at which place the reusable flexible strip 114 is separated from theperforated paper 28'. Disposed below the roller or'pulley 122 is a tank124 having a driven rotatable brush 126 therein which is immersed in acleaning solution 128. The strip 114 passes downwardly and under aroller 130 for disposing the strip 114 in the cleaning solution 128. Thestrip 114 is thus cleaned and passes over an idler roller 128 carried bya bracket 130 and thence through a heating and drying device 136 andthus around the roller 116.

There is an ejector and feeding mechanism for each longitudinal row oftile pieces and the feeding mechanism incorporates a channelshaped slideor conveyor 20 which receives a continuous supply of sorted tiles whichhave been arranged in a predetermined color sequences by a colorpre-selector which does not constitute a part of the present invention.Initially, the tiles are arranged and fed into the channelshaped slides20 in a pro-selected color sequence. A lower end of the channels 20there is provided a horizontal guide trough 138 having a slot 140 in thelower surface thereof for receiving the upper run of a conveyor belt 142arranged over oppositely disposed pulleys 144 and driven by a chaindrive. Forwardly of the belt conveyors 142 there is a depending inclinedslide 146 having a pusher bar 148 slidable in a slot 150 therein. Thepusher'bar 148 is provided with gear teeth 152 on the undersurfacethereof and a series of inclined projections 154 on the upper surfacethereof defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced abutments 156. Apair of spaced rollers 158 is provided for supporting the bar 148 and agear 160 is in meshing engagement with the teeth 152. Slidably mountedon a plate 162 is a retaining bar 164 having teeth 166 defined in theupper surface thereof in meshing engagement with the gear 160 andprovided with a groove 166 in the outer upper surface thereof for slidably receiving the lower end of the pusher bar 148 for guiding therelative movement therebetween. A horizontally and longitudinallyextending lip 168 is provided on the retaining bar 164 for receiving atile from the pusher bar 148 and retaining the same in position formovement by the ejector. The other end of the retaining bar 164 isreduced asindicated by the numeral 170 and is attached to the plunger172 of a solenoid 174 which plunger is provided with a return spring 176and a collar 178 thereon.

Disposed longitudinally forwardly of the feeding mechanism is avertically reciprocable plunger 180 having a depending lip 182 on therear edge thereof. The plunger 180 extends upwardly through a verticalsupport 184 and is spring urged upwardly by spring 186 which is disposedbetween the support 184 and a transverse head 188 on the upper end ofthe plunger 180. A transverse member 198 is connected to the transversemember 180 through springs 192 and fastening members 194. Acam 196 rmtatable with a transverse shaft 198 is engaged with the upper transversemember 198 whereby rotation of the cam 196 will cause reciprocation ofthe members 190, 192, 188 and 189. limit switch 181 having a plunger 183is mounted on the frame 184 with the plunger 183 disposed in the path ofmovement of part of the plunger 180 for stopping the machine in theevent the plunger does not engage a tile and moves below the lower limitandstopping the machine when the supply of tile in the placement head isexhausted.

Also slidable on the support 184 is a plate 280 having T a laterallyextending arm 202 overlying a cam 204 carried rotates, the plate 290will be reciprocated. The plate 289 and lip182 accurately position thetile in two directions of movement and a flat spring 213 is provided onone side wall of each channel shaped member 138 whose 'side walls extendto the plates 200 as shown in FIGURE 4 for holding the tiles 92 againstthe opposite side wall thereby providing accurate tile tolerances.

Mounted above the casing is an arm 21'4 supported by shaft 216 andincluding a roller follower 218 engageable with the blocks 90 on thedrum 88. Connected to the arm 1214 is an electric lead or wire 220 andmounted on a plate 222 is a series of contact elements 224 forengagement by the free end of the arm 214 for completing a circuitbetween the wire 228 and one of the contacts 224-.

The arm 214 is spring urged by a spring 226 for retaining the camfollower 218 against the various height blocks 90 on the drum '88 whichis in the form of a master board or control board for controlling theorientation of the arm 214 in relation to the contact 224.

The arm 214 also controls the preselector for assuring that the tilepieces will be supplied in the proper color sequence to the chutes orconveyors 20. The feeding and ejector mechanism as well, as the variousrollers are operated in timed relation to each other for accuratelypositioning the tile pieces in proper spaced relation.

The cutter bar for separation will preferably pass between two spacedparallel ledger plates for serving and removing a section of the backingpaper thereby eliminating any possible paper interference atinstallation. Also, in some designs the arrangement of the cutter bar orblade may be zig-zag in shape to conform to the staggered design. Also,this machine could take various sizes and colors as well as all of thesame size tile of various colors by adding sufiicient heads necessarywhich, of course, would be of the dimensions required to handle thetile. Also any pattern can be made by providing suflicient heads tohandle the tile.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a tile assembling machine, means for intermittently feeding acontinuous web tile receiver along a longitudinal path, said receiverhaving a plurality of longitudinally extending zones, an individual tilesupply mechanism mounted above said longitudinal path for intermittentlymoving individual tiles of pre-selected color and size in timed relationwith said receiver feeding means along a path leading to a releaseposition relating to one of said zones onto which zone the tiles movedby said mechanism are to be placed in pre-selected frequency andspacing, a tile-spacing stop mounted for reciprocation in.

a plane normal to said receiver and above said longitudinal pathadjacent said release position, said stop extending transversely acrosssaid zone, mechanism for cyclically moving said stop during the feedingof said receiver, said mechanism being operable to move said stop insaid normal plane between an upper region in its plane of reciprocationin which its lower edge is spaced above said receiver more than thethickness of one of said tiles and a lower region in such path in whichits lower edge is spaced above said receiver less than the thickness ofone of said tiles, means for shifting individual tiles from said releaseposition and into contact with said stop at a point spaced above saidreceiver, tile placing means mounted above said longitudinal pathadjacent said stop, means for reciprocating said tile placing meansalong a path substantially normal to said receiver, said tile placingmeans being operable to move said tile downwardly while maintainingcontact of said tile with said stop into contact with the surface ofsaid tile receiver in said zone thereof and over an area thereofdetermined by the position of said stop and by the timing of actuationof said tile placing means relative to the longitudinal movement of saidreceiver, said stop moving mechanism being operable to move said stop tothe upper region of said path after contact of said tile with saidreceiver and before said tile placing means is moved out of contact withsaid tile.

2. In a tile assembling machine according to claim 1, means forintermittently feeding said continuous web tile receiver a modulardistance relative to said tile spacing stop during each period betweenthe positioning of tiles thereon.

3. A tile assembling machine comprising means for longitudinally feedinga continuous web tile receiver along a first path, an individual tilesupply mechanism mounted above said first path for intermittently movingindividual tiles in timed relation with said receiver feeding meansalong a second path angularly disposed to said first path, said secondpath leading to a release position above said tile receiver, atile-spacing stop mounted above said first path adjacent said releaseposition and extending transversely across said tile receiver, mechanismfor cyclically moving said stop along a third path normal to said firstpath between an upper position and a lower position during movement ofsaid tile receiver, means for shifting individual tiles from saidrelease position to a position in contact with said stop while said stopis in the lower position, tile placing means mounted above said firstpath for moving said tile from said last named position while contactingsaid stop and for continuing to move said tile downwardly beyond saidstop into contact with the surface of said tile receiver over an areathereof determined by the position of said stop and by the timing ofactuation of said tile placing means relative to the longitudinalmovement of said tile receiver.

4. In combination with a tile positioning machine of the type comprisinga mechanism for feeding a web of tile receiving material along alongitudinal path and a mechanism for moving individual tiles to aposition above the web, the improvement comprising a stop mounted abovethe path of said web, means for moving said stop in timed relation withthe feeding of said web from a lower position to an upper position, alongitudinally reciprocating arm for engaging a tile in the positionabove said web and moving said tile into engagement with said stop whensaid stop is in said lower position, a vertically reciprocating memberfor engaging said tile while in engagement with said stop, and means formoving said member toward said web as said stop moves to said upperposition whereby said tile is moved out of engagement with said stop andinto engagement with said web.

5. A machine for producing a mat of tile pieces with a paper backingadhered thereto, comprising a supporting frame with drive means thereon,an elongated plate mounted on said frame, a supply roll for said paperbacking at one end of the plate, means for feeding said paper backingonto and across said plate, means supported on said frame in overlyingrelation to said paper backing for placing tile pieces in a plurality oflongitudinal rows on said paper backing, means supported on said framein overlying relation to said paper backing with said tiles thereon forpressing said tiles onto said paper backing, means for actuating saidfeed-ing means, said placing means and said pressing means in sequentialorder, a rotatable drum having a master board mounted thereon, saidboard having various height blocks thereon indicating the colors andsizes of related tile pieces, a follower riding on said drum forcontrolling the machine, and means for rotating said drum, said meansbeing operatively connected to said feeding means for simultaneousoperation therewith.

6. In a tile assembling machine, means for intermittently feeding acontinuous web tile receiver along a longitudinal path, said receiverhaving a plurality of longitudinally extending zones, an individual tilesupply mechanism mounted above said longitudinal path for intermittentlymoving individual tiles of pre-selected color and size in timed relationwith said receiver feeding means along a path leading to a releaseposition relating to one of said zones onto which zone the tiles movedby said mechanism are to be placed in pro-selected frequency andspacing, a tile spacing stop mounted above said longitudinal path andadjacent said release position for reciprocal movement, mechanism forcyclically moving said stop between a region in its path ofreciprocation in which its face extends transversely across said zoneand its lower edge is positioned above said receiver a distance lessthan the thickness of one of said tiles for engagement with a tilepositioned on said receiver and a region in such path in which its loweredge is removed from engagement with a tile on said receiver, means forshifting individual tiles from said release position and into contactwith the face of said stop while said face extends transversely acrosssaid zone, tile placing means mounted above said longitudinal pathadjacent said stop, means for reciprocating said tile placingmeans'alongza path substantially normal to said receiver, said tileplacing means being operable to move said tile downwardly whilemaintaining contact of said tile with the face of said stop, said tileplacing means being further operable for continuing to move said tiledownwardly into contact with the surface of said tile receiver in saidzon e'thereof and over an area thereof determined by the position ofsaid step and by the timing of actuation of said tile placing meansrelative to the longitudinal movement of said receiver, said stop moving8 mechanism being operable to move said stop to the upper region of saidpath after contact of said tile with said receiver and before saidtileplacing means is moved out of contact with said tile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,350,410 Kent Aug. 24, 1920 1,447,155 Semashko Feb. 27, 1923 1,745,823Yingling -Feb. 4, 1930 2,183,474 Burgmer Dec. 12, 1939 2,713,380 BaumannJuly 19, 1955

1. IN A TILE ASSEMBLLING MACHINE, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING ACONTINUOUS WED TILE RECEIVER ALONG A LONGITUDINAL PATH, SAID RECEIVERHAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ZONE, AND INDIVIDUAL TILESUPPLY MECHANISM MOUNTED ABOVE SAID LONGITUDINAL PATH FOR INTERMITTENTLYMOVING INDIVIDUAL TILES OF PRE-SELECTED COLOR AND SIZE IN TIMED RELATIONWITH SAID RECEIVER FEEDING MEANS ALONG A PATH LEADINNG TO ARELEASEDPOSITION RELATING TO ONE OF SAID ZONES ONTO WHICH ZONE THE TILEMOVED BY SAID MECHANISM ARE TO BE PLACED IN PRE-SELECTED FREQUENCY ANDSPACING A TILE-SPACING STOP MOUNTED FOR RECIPOCATION IN A PLANE NORMALTO SAID RECEIVER AND ABOVE SAID LONGITUDINAL PATH ADJACENT SAID RELEASEPOSITION, SAID STOP EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID ZONE, MECHANISMFOR CYLICALLY MOVING SAID STOP DURING THE FEEDING OF SAID RECEIVER, SAIDMECHANISM BEING OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID STOP IN SAID NORMAL PLANE BETWEENAN UPPER REGION IN ITS PLANE OF RECIPROCATION IN WHICH ITS LOWER EDGE ISSPACED ABOVE SAID RECEIVER MORE THAN THE THICKNESS OF ONE OF SAID TILESAND